DPR | Reston Office Tenant Improvement
DPR | Reston Office Tenant Improvement | 11109 Sunset Hills Road Ste 200 | Reston, VA | 20190
Rather than building new, DPR chose to renovate a 20,000-sq.-ft.
space, which had been vacant for more than seven years. The project was built
with four key goals in mind: Create an Office of the Future that invigorates
our people; to be environmentally responsible in the way we do business by
pursuing Net Zero Energy, LEED certification and the WELL Building
standard; to make smart, data-driven decisions; and to create a living
laboratory that can showcase technologies, products and systems.
Partners
Project Scope
Flexibility: A key element of an "office of the Future" is creating various work spaces that can be utilized in different ways and allow employees to choose the best space for them to be productive. DPR’s office incorporates a wide variety of spaces, ranging from private phone rooms and quite spaces, to small, medium and large conference rooms. Groups can select the right meeting room for their purpose.
The office also utilizes a variety of spaces for gathering. The team conducted a research study along with the design firm, SmithGroupJJR and Herman Miller's Living Office team, to understand how people work, what was working and what was not working in the old space, and what improvements could be made to enhance overall efficiency and happiness. The study confirmed what was suspected and seen as a growing trend in the market – people want flexibility. Providing an environment with a coffee-shop feel and lounge areas where employees can eat their lunch, catch a conference call, or play a quick game of shuffleboard, will increase productivity and accommodate a diverse workforce with varying needs.
Employee Health: A critical element of a creating 21st century work environment is embracing the shift in the market towards employee health and well-being. This office sets a new benchmark for creating a healthy environment that improves employee health and wellness. Utilizing materials throughout the space that minimize volatile organic compounds in the indoor air, providing a large portion of fresh outdoor air, combined with a wellness room, workout room, our proximity to the regionally famous W&OD trail, and providing healthy snacks will help us reach this goal. Bikes are also provided for daily use so employees can run errands or grab lunch without having to take their cars.
Adjacent to the kitchen, the office offers access to the outdoors for employees to take a break and get some fresh air, or let the fresh air in. We have installed a LED stoplight which is programmed to let employees know if the outside weather conditions are acceptable to keep the door open.
Open Office Design: The open office concept has been a critical part of DPR's culture since the early days of the company. The increased communication and collaboration is maximized by a design concept of flexibility, healthy work habits with standing desks and lots of exposure to outside views.
Technology: Incorporating smart technology, not just expensive or cutting-edge technology, is part of the 21st century workplace. In each of the meeting spaces available to employees, DPR is utilizing new technology that helps employees work more efficiently. Utilizing simple technologies like Evoko conference room scheduling, Click Shares (a wireless technology to connect your computer to the screen in the space) and a Sonos Wireless AV system, teams are able to spend more time communicating with each other and less time on IT and AV support.
These aspects helped the building meet the WELL Certified™ Gold standards.
Utilizing materials throughout the space that minimize volatile organic compounds in the indoor air, providing a large portion of fresh outdoor air, combined with a wellness room, workout room, our proximity to the regionally famous W&OD trail, and providing healthy snacks will help us reach this goal.
The increased communication and collaboration is maximized by a design concept of flexibility, healthy work habits with standing desks and lots of exposure to outside views.
In each of the meeting spaces available to employees, DPR is utilizing new technology that helps employees work more efficiently.
Bikes are also provided for daily use so employees can run errands or grab lunch without having to take their cars.
DPR’s office incorporates a wide variety of spaces, ranging from private phone rooms and quite spaces, to small, medium and large conference rooms. Groups can select the right meeting room for their purpose.
This office sets a new benchmark for creating a healthy environment that improves employee health and wellness.
Creating a Living Laboratory
The living laboratory helps to educate others, while also continuing to monitor progress against initial environmental goals.
Project Dashboard: The project uses a dashboard that provides real-time information related to energy and water consumption, as well as energy produced by the photovoltaic array. DPR can see what is working and what needs tweaking, in real time, in pursuit of Net Zero Energy Certification.
Showcasing Products: The space utilizes a variety of new and modern products throughout to educate clients and design teams on what is possible in an office of this scale. For example, the team installed four different finished concrete options to show and educate owners and architects on the options available. It allows them to see what the different finished products costs look like and how they hold up to normal office wear and tear. Other technologies, such as Radiant Sails, are placed in key, visible spaces so visitors can compare to more traditional systems.
Mechanical Room: As a technical builder, providing a glass window into the mechanical room provides an opportunity to educate visitors and staff about the functionality of the space and its complex MEP systems. In addition, the team color coded the piping so visitors can easily decipher what they are looking at.
Learn more about the office and its sustainability in the extended case study.
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